My Dad had a photo of himself with Patrick Moore from time around when I was born, he did a series of lectures that my Dad (an amateur astronomer) attended at Salford University & then spent another hour or so answering questions about things Space wise, he was very entertaining, then they all went to the pub & he still sat there entertaining, and discussing things early into the morning.

Edited by Bleep1673, 09 December 2012 - 04:44 PM.

Swinton RLFC est 1866 - Supplying England with players when most of your clubs were in nappies

My Dad had a photo of himself with Patrick Moore from time around when I was born, he did a series of lectures that my Dad (an amateur astronomer) attended at Salford University & then spent another hour or so answering questions about things Space wise, he was very entertaining, then they all went to the pub & he still sat there entertaining, and discussing things early into the morning.

It's hard to imagine what people like Patrick Moore went through during the war. The following is taken from his Wikipedia entry, but I think it illustrates how wartime experiences have a profound effect throughout someone's life.

"Moore lied about his age in order to join the RAF and fight in World War II at the age of sixteen, and from 1940 until 1945 he served as a navigator in RAF Bomber Command, reaching the rank of Flight lieutenant. He first received his flying training in Canada, during which time he met Albert Einstein and Orville Wright while on leave in New York. The war had a significant influence on his life: his only romance ended when his fiancée, a nurse called Lorna, was killed by a bomb which struck her ambulance. Moore subsequently remarked that he never married because "there was no one else for me ... second best is no good for me ... I would have liked a wife and family, but it was not to be." In his autobiography he stated that after sixty years he still thought about her, and that because of her death "if I saw the entire German nation sinking into the sea, I could be relied upon to help push it down."

It's amazing that he enrolled in Bomber Command at the age of 16, and even more that he survived five years as a navigator, which was possibly the most perilous role anyone could have had. It's not surprising that he had his idiosyncrasies.

It's hard to imagine what people like Patrick Moore went through during the war. The following is taken from his Wikipedia entry, but I think it illustrates how wartime experiences have a profound effect throughout someone's life.

"Moore lied about his age in order to join the RAF and fight in World War II at the age of sixteen, and from 1940 until 1945 he served as a navigator in RAF Bomber Command, reaching the rank of Flight lieutenant. He first received his flying training in Canada, during which time he met Albert Einstein and Orville Wright while on leave in New York. The war had a significant influence on his life: his only romance ended when his fiancée, a nurse called Lorna, was killed by a bomb which struck her ambulance. Moore subsequently remarked that he never married because "there was no one else for me ... second best is no good for me ... I would have liked a wife and family, but it was not to be." In his autobiography he stated that after sixty years he still thought about her, and that because of her death "if I saw the entire German nation sinking into the sea, I could be relied upon to help push it down."

It's amazing that he enrolled in Bomber Command at the age of 16, and even more that he survived five years as a navigator, which was possibly the most perilous role anyone could have had. It's not surprising that he had his idiosyncrasies.

Anyone who volunteered for aircrew in Bomber Command and survived deserves our admiration. The attrition was terrible. What they did has been questioned. Even Churchill ducked responsibility but this takes nothing away from their bravery. They did what they were ordered risking their lives night after night for what they thought would bring freedom for their fellow countrymen. They deserve a lot better than what they got. As do other ignored heroes such as those who sailed in the Russian convoys. History is selective.

"This is a very wealthy country, money is no object" D. Cameron February 2014

I got into discussion yesterday with someone who really disliked Moore due to his political views. Although I don't agree with Moore's poistion on many things, I think the war experiences did shape those views and I have known other people of that era who really despise Germans and Japanese. You can say "forgive and forget" but it's easier to say than to do.

Bleep1673 it was flippin freezing and I didn't even get to see any early Geminids ( which should be around at the end of the week). That said the night was clear and Saturn was a bright jewel shining down.

As well as his distinguished military career, it's also good to remember that both Nasa and the Russian space agency consulted him on potential landing sites for their moon missions, which is surely high praise for an amateur astronomer.

Bleep1673 it was flippin freezing and I didn't even get to see any early Geminids ( which should be around at the end of the week). That said the night was clear and Saturn was a bright jewel shining down.

Saturn? Just how long were you sitting out there in that deckchair?

I spared a thought for Patrick Moore when I saw Jupiter rising in the evening sky. I loved his programme when I was a kid.

"I own up. I am a serial risk taker. I live in a flood zone, cycle without a helmet, drink alcohol and on Sunday I had bacon for breakfast."